


if you love me for me

by aruelia



Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Identity Reveal, Identity Swap, Inspired by Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper (2004), M/M, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:48:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27334465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aruelia/pseuds/aruelia
Summary: Long ago and far away, in the small kingdom of Inaba, something miraculous occurred. At the very same moment, two nearly identical children were born. One, a princess. The other, a pauper. With lives so different, it wouldn’t be surprising if the two children never met. But fate decreed they would.(A Barbie Princess and the Pauper AU that is purely an excuse to combine my two guilty pleasures)
Relationships: Amagi Yukiko/Satonaka Chie, Hanamura Yosuke/Narukami Yu, Hanamura Yosuke/Seta Souji
Comments: 19
Kudos: 46





	1. free

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Barbie Princess and the Pauper is genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time. The songs slap, the story is great, and the characters and incredibly endearing. The day it gets a Broadway remake will be the best day of my life. 
> 
> If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend watching it just because its a great movie (but be warned the animation is.... not great haha), but you certainly do not need to know anything about it for this fic. The only major change to Persona is that Yukiko and Souji look incredibly similar to the point where Souji with a wig could easily pass as Yukiko. 
> 
> *TRIGGER WARNING JUST FOR THE FIRST CHAPTER*  
> Very very brief thoughts of suicide from Yukiko (she feels that death is the only way she could be free)
> 
> That's pretty much the only dark part of this entire fic and its one small paragraph. The rest is mostly fluff and happy times.
> 
> This fic is going to be pretty short (6 chapters, probably about 10-15k words), so updates will come quickly. Anyways, please enjoy!

Long ago and far away, in the small kingdom of Inaba, something miraculous occurred. At the very same moment, two nearly identical children were born. 

One was the daughter of the king and queen. They had been trying for a child ever since they had been wed and their daughter, Yukiko, was named for the beautiful snow that fell outside the royal palace during her birth. She was the answer to all of their prayers. Princess Yukiko would have only the finest things in life.

The second child was named Souji. His parents loved him every bit as much as the king and queen loved the princess, but they worried. They had little hope and even less money. How would they be able to care for their son? 

Many years passed and both children faced hardships. The princess had to learn her royal duties with only her mother by her side, while Souji worked long and hard as a fisherman for the cruel Morooka. With lives so different, it wouldn’t be surprising if the princess and the pauper never met. But fate decreed they would. 

It all started when the royal miners informed Queen Mayumi that the gold had run out. The widowed queen was shocked and she knew that the kingdom would soon fall bankrupt. How was she going to take care of her people? She desperately wanted to call on her trusted adviser Adachi, but he was away on a long journey. She needed to do something quickly to save the kingdom, but what? 

The next day, as she gazed at Yukiko quietly reading a book in the garden, it struck her. In the nearby kingdom of Junes, there lived a rich young king who was seeking a wife...

* * *

Yukiko had learned from a young age that she was not the princess her parents had wanted. They wanted someone quiet, someone obedient, someone they could keep in a cage forever with no complaints. They wanted a dainty finch, but instead, they got a phoenix.

Her mother always blamed Chie, her best friend of several years, for her rebellious attitude, but that showed how little she knew her own daughter. Though Chie was outspoken and confident, she was often the one to reel Yukiko back in when she got in over her head. 

She’d never forget the first day she met Chie. It was her seventh birthday and Yukiko’s first trip into the village. Yukiko had a blast running around the streets of the city, taking in the new sights and scents. As they were about to leave, she bumped into a small girl with short hair who was begging for food. Upon learning that the girl was an orphan, Yukiko demanded that she be allowed to return to the palace. 

From that day onward, the girls were inseparable. They played together, studied together and grew up together. Though her mother had been furious, Yukiko had even promoted Chie to be her lady-in-waiting when she turned sixteen. Chie had once confided in Yukiko that her dream was to one day be a knight and protect the kingdom, and Yukiko had become determined to help her friend achieve her dream. Female knights were certainly rare, but definitely not unheard of. If anyone was up for the challenge, it was Chie.

Yukiko was not nearly that strong.

That was something that she had always known, but something that became undeniably clear the day she found out that she was to be wed. 

Yukiko leaned over her balcony railing, gazing out over the kingdom that should have one day been hers and contemplated jumping. Though she didn’t particularly want to die, the idea of getting married to a stranger, the idea of being chained down in yet  _ another  _ way, made her want to end it all. Perhaps in death she’d finally be free...

_ "There _ you are, Yukiko! What are you doing out here?” 

Yukiko managed a small smile. Chie always seemed to appear when she felt trapped in the dark and never failed to bring her back into the light. “I’m just thinking about... things.”

Chie gave her a deadpan stare, “Things, huh? Very specific.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I do,” Chie moved to stand closer to the princess, “At least he seems... nice?”

“We know literally nothing about him.”

“That’s not true! We know that he likes music and that he... uh, he’s... a king?”

Yukiko couldn’t help but laugh at her friend's awful attempt to cheer her up, but her joy was short-lived. She turned to look at Chie with watery eyes, “I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”

“Ohhhh, Yukiko! Don’t cry!” Chie exclaimed, though Yukiko could see the prickling of tears at the corners of her friend’s eyes.

Yukiko couldn’t hold herself back any longer. Before Chie could do or say anything, the princess had wrapped her in a tight hug. The lady-in-waiting instantly melted into the embrace, and the two clung to each other for a long, long time.

* * *

“Damnit!” Souji cursed as the fish slipped off of the line, again. He needed one more fish to meet his daily quota, but it seemed like the world was out to get him today. 

_ More like the world’s been out to get me my whole life. _

A morbid outlook for sure, but one Souji felt justified in given his past. His parents died in an accident, leaving him an orphan at the tender age of ten. Souji moved in with his uncle, Dojima, soon afterwards. Dojima was incredibly loving and raised Souji as if he were his own son. His daughter, Nanako, even began to see Souji as her brother instead of her cousin. 

But nothing good lasts forever. When Souji was thirteen, a horrible plague swept through the village taking hundreds of lives, including his uncle’s. Dojima’s last words to him were, “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you. Keep Nanako safe.”

Souji did everything he could to care for his adopted sister, but there was only so much a poor teenager with no job could do. Theft went from something he would never even consider to his only means of survival.

One day, he made the mistake of attempting to steal a rotting fish from the local fishmonger. When he was caught, the owner, a truly ugly man named Morooka, spent several hours lecturing and threatening him. He finally stopped when Souji offered to work as a fisherman to pay off his debt. The older man quickly agreed with a devious grin and immediately put the boy to work.

Apparently, Souji and Morooka had very different opinions on how much service a rotting fish was worth. Souji had only been planning on working for a few days, but when he relayed this to Morooka, he was met with a slap in the face. He made it very clear that day that Souji would never be able to repay his debt and that he’d be working for Morooka the rest of his life.

Though the work was long and tiring, it wasn’t all bad. He and Nanako weren’t at risk of going hungry since Souji was always able to catch an extra fish or two for them to have. They also no longer had to sleep in a dirty alleyway, instead taking refuge in the basement of Morooka’s store. But, perhaps most importantly, Souji found his passion in life: cooking.

He had been indifferent to cooking when he was little, but it wasn’t until he was forced to cook Morooka dinner every night that he learned just how fun cooking could be. Sometimes, if he met his quota early, he’d spend hours in the kitchen coming up with new recipes. Morooka never complimented him on his work, scoffing at and complaining about just about anything he was served, but Nanako was always overjoyed when she got to eat his cooking. Seeing his little sister’s face light up while taking the first bite of a new experimental dish never failed to make his day.

Somedays, when Souji was feeling particularly optimistic, he let himself daydream about traveling the world. He wanted to experience new cultures, meet new people, and try new food. He wanted to leave Morooka forever and be able to provide for Nanako without his “support.”

But, most of all, he wanted to be free.


	2. how could i refuse?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens and the rest of the cast is introduced :))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get this chapter out so that those who are stressed about the election today could have a small distraction. We'll get through this together <3

Tooru Adachi had always known that one day he would be king. Despite growing up poor, he had never once doubted that he would be the ruler of Inaba. He was determined to achieve this goal through any means necessary and there was no line he wasn’t willing to cross to get what he wanted.

Upon finishing his schooling, he was chosen to be the royal advisor's apprentice. He learned everything he could from the old geezer, and when Adachi had had enough of his scolding, he slipped a little bit of poison in the man’s tea.

Adachi cried when Queen Mayumi informed him of his master’s death, and fooled the entire castle into thinking that it was because he was grieving. In reality, they were tears of joy. Royal Advisor Adachi had quite a nice ring to it. The only thing he could think of that sounded better was King Adachi.

After seven long years as Queen Mayumi’s right hand man, Adachi had learned everything he needed to take control of the kingdom. He knew all of the queen’s hopes and dreams, her fears and weaknesses, and everything in between. All he had to do was wait for the perfect opportunity to enact his plan.

It didn’t take long for Adachi to clear the royal mines of all of the gold, especially with the help of his underling, Mitsuo. Mitsuo was a bit slow, but he was quite adept at manual labor, especially since he thought he was helping his darling Princess Yuki.

The day before Adachi planned to make his grand return to Inaba, he decided to pay Mitsuo a visit to make sure that everything was still going to plan. He opened the door to the odd boy’s cottage, not bothering to knock, and yelled, “Mitsuo? Are you here?”

“Y-yes, Master Adachi,” Mitsuo ran out of a backroom, a pile of gold in his greasy hands. “This is the last of the gold from the mines. It’s all yours.”

Adachi chuckled, “Yes, it is. Now, I will be able to convince Queen Mayumi to give me- I mean,  _ you-  _ Princess Yukiko’s hand in marriage.” Adachi winced at his mistake. Mitsuo had only agreed to work for him under the guise that  _ he _ would be the one who would get to marry the princess and become king. Luckily, the boy was too stupid to realize that Adachi would have no reason for his plan if that were the case. Adachi was tempted to take the boy out now, but he knew that a hasty decision now could cost him greatly in the future.

“Yes, but there’s a small problem, Master Adachi. Queen Mayumi has decided to marry her off to the king of Junes next week.”

“What?! Who does she think she is, making decisions by herself?!”

“Uh, the queen?” 

“Shut up, Mitsuo.”

Adachi’s brows furrowed in thought. This was certainly not supposed to happen, but, like all problems, Adachi knew that it was a temporary setback. It didn’t take long for him to come up with a solution.

Mitsuo would lure Yukiko out of the castle and kidnap her. Since she would be missing, the wedding wouldn’t be able to happen, and the king would soon lose interest. Then, Adachi would “find” her, and return a hero. A smug smile spread across his face.

He’d give the queen an offer that would be impossible to refuse.

* * *

Yosuke smiled as a beautiful castle came into view. The castle was a bit smaller than his own, but no less beautiful, large white stone walls decorated with blood red accents. Though he wasn’t particularly thrilled about marrying a stranger, he had been lonely for a long time. Meeting Princess Yukiko may be exactly what he needed right now.

Yosuke hadn’t heard a lot about Princess Yukiko, but from what he could tell, she was quiet and reserved. She apparently was very traditional and had amassed a large decorative fan collection over her lifetime. Overall, she sounded like a perfect girl for the average king to call his wife.

Too bad Yosuke was far from the average king. 

He took over the kingdom at a fairly young age after the deaths of his parents, and there had never been a time in his life where he hadn’t been treated with the utmost respect by nearly everyone around him. Whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, was his. Sure, it was nice, but mostly, it was boring. Yosuke didn’t want a wife that would just be subservient to him; he wanted a partner, someone who would challenge him and push him to be a better person.

“Look, Yosuke! Cats!” Teddie dramatically flailed his arms as he pointed out of the carriage window. Yosuke rolled his eyes at his adoptive brother’s antics. Teddie had been left at the palace steps when he was just a baby, wrapped only in a blanket covered in bears. His parents, known for being loving and kind, instantly volunteered to take him in. Teddie had never seemed phased by the fact that he was technically in line for the throne, and instead made it his life mission to have as much fun as possible while annoying Yosuke. Yosuke would never admit it, but he knew he would be a much worse person without Teddie’s constant teasing.

“I see them, Ted. Now, you remember the plan, right?”

Teddie nodded, “Yeah, but I still think it’s kind of silly. Why don’t you just want to meet her?”

“We talked about this!” Yosuke sighed and rubbed his temples, “I want to see how she treats me when she thinks I’m just an ambassador. If she doesn’t respect people who are “below her,” then I have no desire to marry her.”

“Ohhhhh, right. I forgot about that.”

Yosuke winced.

_ It’s going to be a long day. _

* * *

Yukiko erupted into cheers when her fan landed square in the middle of her target. She had been learning how to use throwing fans for years, and had become fairly proficient, but she had been having trouble concentrating since she learned she was to be wed. Though throwing fans helped relieve some of her stress, she wished that Chie was here so that they could spar. Nothing made Yukiko feel better than play fighting with her best friend, fans against fists, brains against brawn.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Chie burst through the door, an unreadable expression on her face. Yukiko didn’t notice and simply waved her friend over with a friendly smile. “Chie! You wanna spar? I’m finally getting back into a good rhythm with my fans, and-”

“I’d love to, your highness, but we can’t.”

Yukiko froze, ice filling her veins. “‘Your highness’? Why the formality? Chie, it’s just me.”

Chie sighed, her body language stiff and unnatural, “The queen sent me. Apparently, the royal ambassador of Junes has arrived with a gift for you.”

“The ambassador? He’s here already?” Yukiko collapsed on her bed, all her prior excitement turned into the heavy feeling of dread.

“Yes, Yu- I mean, your highness.”

“Please, Chie. Call me by my name until...” Yukiko trailed off, but Chie’s eyes softened in understanding.

“I will... I wish it didn’t have to be like this.”

“Me neither. What do you think King Yosuke will be like?”

Chie grimaced, “I’m sure that he will be... suitable.”

“I should hope so,” Yukiko snorted. “I hope that he’ll at least have a sense of humor, but I doubt that he’ll be able to make me laugh like you do.”

Chie’s cheeks turned pink, but she recovered quickly, “No way! I’m the only one who can make the demure Princess Yukiko turn into a giggling demon.” Chie gave her a fond smile, before her eyes lit up. “Wait, Yukiko, I have a great idea! Go get your cape!”

With that, Chie ran out of the room. Yukiko was confused but quickly grabbed her cape with a small chuckle. She had no idea what her best friend was planning, but she’d follow Chie to the ends of the Earth if she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are greatly appreciated! Next update soon :))


	3. i'm just like you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two worlds collide and our protagonists finally meet

Yukiko probably should have been surprised when Chie led her through a secret passageway under the palace, but, in all honesty, it was a pretty normal day. Chie’s laugh was echoing off of the stone walls, ringing as clear as a bell. Though Yukiko still couldn’t shake off the dread she felt towards getting married, being around Chie still managed to cheer her up a bit.

The pair eventually made it to the stable and Chie began to prepare her favorite horse for riding. Yukiko felt her face flush as Chie offered her a hand and helped her onto the steed. Her heart ached as she wondered if this would be the last time they had an adventure like this.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the heart of the city. Chie excitedly pointed out various landmarks and their meanings, and Yukiko listened intently to everything her friend said, even though she already knew most of it. It was a nice change to hear Chie be so enthusiastic about something that wasn’t fighting or food, though Yukiko loved hearing Chie talk about those things too.

Yukiko loved going to the city. With her head covered by her plain grey cloak, she was able to easily blend into the crowds. She didn’t have to be Princess Yukiko, the snow white dove of Inaba. She could just be herself.

“Look, Yukiko! Roses!” Chie ran to a nearby bush, and, sure enough, there were a dozen or so deep red roses. Chie pulled one off of the bush and bowed clumsily, “A gift from me to you.”

Yukiko laughed but accepted the flower without a second thought, “These are my favorites, but you already knew that.”

Chie blushed, and, not for the first time, Yukiko wished she could marry her.

“I have to go pick up some shoes. Will you be okay here on your own?”

“Of course. I was trained by the best future knight in the kingdom.”

“You know it!” And with that, Chie was off. Yukiko planned to stay by their horse, she really did, but the most delicious smell wafted by and Yukiko had to figure out where it was coming from. She had wandered past a small alleyway when she saw someone in a grey cloak passing out bowls of soup with the help of a little girl in a dirty pink dress. Yukiko wanted to get a closer look on what was going on when a man growled angrily next to her.

“What the hell are you doing?”

The server instantly cowered. “Morooka, I can explain, I-”

“I don’t give a shit about your excuses. Don’t come back until you’ve made enough to double the cost of whatever the fuck this is!”

The man knocked over the large pot of soup before stomping off angrily. The formerly large and bustling crowd of customers had all but dissipated, leaving only Yukiko, the server, and the young girl in the alley. The server groaned and sank to his (her? their?) knees, the little girl following soon after. Yukiko knew that she should just walk away and leave them be. She didn’t know them and if they realized who she was, it could potentially be dangerous.

But she couldn't just abandon those in need.

“Hey, are you alright?” Yukiko asked gently, crouching down next to the pair. “Your food smelled incredible.”

“Hah, thanks. That means a lot to...  _ woah, _ ” his voice trailed off as the two made eye contact for the first time. The young man had dark eyes and lush, long eyelashes. He had small but pointed lips and a button nose. His face and body were generally androgynous, to the point where besides his short silver hair, staring at him was like looking into a mirror.

At the same time, they asked each other, “Who are you?”

“You first,” the server said with a soft smile. 

“My name is Yukiko.”

“You have the same name as the princess!” The little girl in pink blurted out. Yukiko had forgotten she was even there. 

Yukiko knew she shouldn’t reveal her identity to these complete strangers, but the little girl was so excited, she couldn’t help but say, “Well, that’s because I _am_ the princess.”

The girl’s eyes became impossibly wider, “Wow!”

“Oh my goddess,” he quickly stood up and dusted himself off. “My name is Souji, your highness. Forgive me for my bluntness, but shouldn’t you be in the castle?”

Yukiko rose as well before replying, “No need for the formality. I’m trying to savor my first and last taste of freedom before my wedding next week.”

“Oh! Um... Congratulations?”

“Far from it. I’m getting married to a stranger.”

Souji laughed darkly, “At least you're not an indentured servant.”

“An indentured servant?”

“I’ve had to work for Morooka, that man from earlier, for the past several years to repay a debt he feels I owe him. I wish I could leave but otherwise Nanako and I would probably starve or freeze on the streets. All I want to do is- wait, why am I telling you this? I apologize for rambling, your highness.”

“Oh, no, don’t apologize. That sounds awful. I’ve never had to worry about something as basic as wondering whether or not I’ll be able to have food or shelter. Listening to you makes me realize how insignificant my problems are.”

Souji’s eyes filled with fire, “Don’t say that! Even though our lives are different, your problems are still valid. I’m just like you: trapped.”

“I suppose you’re right... So, you’re a chef?”

The little girl, Nanako, laughed. “Big Bro is the best chef ever!"

“Nanako...” Souji sighed but there was a ghost of a pleased smile on his face. “I’m actually a fisherman at Morooka’s shop, Yasogami.”

“Really? The fish we had last night was bought from there!”

Souji grinned, “Well, I’m the one who caught it.”

“Really?! It was huge! That’s incredible. That will be such a good skill to have when you are able to become a chef full time.”

“That’s one way to look at it. Anyways, enough about me. If you don’t want to get married, then why are you? You’re the princess; don’t you have the power to stop it?”

“It’s our only option to save the kingdom. I could object but that would just be selfish. I can’t put my own needs above the needs of Inaba.”

“I see. I think I understand,” Souji ruffled Nanako’s hair. “There are some things that matter more than your own desires. Things that matter more to you than anything else.”

Yukiko smiled, “Exactly.”

They talked for a few more minutes before drifting into a comfortable silence. Yukiko couldn’t help but stare at Souji. It was insane how similar they looked. Besides their hair, they really could be twins.

As if Souji was thinking the same thing, he suddenly pulled down his sleeve to reveal a birthmark that looked quite like a butterfly. “Do you have this as well?”

Yukiko pulled down her sleeve to reveal her blank shoulder and shook her head.

Yukiko opened her mouth to speak, but before any words could form she heard, “Yukiko! There you are!” Chie suddenly rounded the corner but stopped abruptly upon seeing Souji. “Woah...”

After explaining the situation to Chie, she became just as confused and amazed as they were. They talked for a few more minutes, but before long, Chie looked up at the setting sun and groaned, “Yukiko, we really need to start heading back.”

Yukiko nodded but then turned back to Souji, “One day, we’ll have you cook for us in the palace. Nanako, you are welcome to come too!”

Souji’s eyes widened, “Really?”

“Of course! I’ll send someone for you.”

Souji’s smile was so bright that it rivaled the sun and Yukiko knew that she had just made a friend for life.

* * *

The sky was dark, the stars were bright, and Yukiko felt at peace. Even though her wedding was quickly approaching, she was optimistic for the future. 

She was supposed to meet King Yosuke’s closest ambassador tomorrow, and soon after, the king himself. It wasn’t ideal by any means, but Souji had shown her today that her situation was far from dire. 

Yukiko had been half asleep when she heard her window open. A low creak echoed through her bedroom followed by soft footsteps. Yukiko, still disoriented, wondered for a moment if it was Chie, but those thoughts disappeared when she heard dark and breathy laughter.

In an instant, all of her senses were alert, but she was careful not to move a single muscle. She had no idea who was in her room but she knew that she was in danger. 

The intruder creeped towards her, his laughter getting more and more maniacal with every step. Yukiko slowly lifted her head to grab the metal tipped fan she always kept hidden under her pillow. She had just managed to get a decent grip on the base when the intruder suddenly broke into a sprint.

He cleared the rest of the distance in seconds and covered her mouth with a rag. A sickly sweetness filled her mouth and overwhelmed her senses. She desperately flung out her fan, which managed to hit its mark judging by her attackers’ yell, but she was unable to escape his grip.

“You’re finally mine, Yuki. All mine. Forever.” The man cackled uncontrollably as Yukiko’s world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave feedback! Every comment makes my day :))


	4. to be a princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chie comes up with a desperate plan and Souji becomes royalty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went ahead and added another chapter to this fic's total because I wanted to do one chapter per song from the movie and completely forgot about To Be a Princess... Whoops! Anyways, this chapter is a bit longer than all of the others so far, so I hope you enjoy :))

Adachi kept his face neutral as he followed Queen Mayumi around the castle. She had been roaming the halls all morning, calling out for her missing daughter. “Yukiko!” she called, her eyes wide. “Yukiko, where are you? Please, answer me!”

Of course, Adachi knew that the queen would never get a response. Mitsuo may be an idiot, but he could be useful on occasion. The princess was currently still passed out in a cottage in the middle of the woods and she would remain there until the wedding was called off. But first, Adachi had to put the next step of his plan into action.

He reached into his pocket to grab a letter written on lilac scented stationery. He didn’t know quite what Yukiko’s handwriting looked like, but he figured that as long as it was dainty or whatever it would pass. Adachi bent down, then gasped as if he had found the letter on the floor.

Queen Mayumi turned in an instant, “What is it, Adachi?”

“It’s a letter from Yukiko. It says that she’s run away so that she doesn’t have to marry King Yosuke!”

Queen Mayumi gasped, “No! I don’t believe it...”

Adachi feigned a disappointed sigh, “Read it yourself.”

Queen Mayumi had just begun to sob when Yukiko’s lady-in-waiting, Chie, burst into the room. She was disheveled and sweaty, like she had just finished a several mile run. With how attached she was to the dear princess, she likely had.

“There’s no sign of her anywhere, your highness!”

The queen wheeled on her, “It's not a surprise that you couldn't find her. I bet you're the one who told her she should run away. I never should have allowed you to stay here!” With that, the queen turned on her heel and stomped away.

Chie looked like she had been slapped. Adachi had to bite his lip to keep from grinning. It was utterly hilarious to see the princess’ guard dog so beaten down and lost.

Sadly, Chie recovered quickly and turned her molten brown eyes onto him. She reached out and snatched “Yukiko’s” letter from his hand and read it carefully, mulling over every word. When she was finished, she glared at him, “Where did you get this?”

“I found it on the floor,” Adachi replied with a shrug. “She probably dropped while she was running through the hallway.”

Chie didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t question him either. She simply nodded and headed down another hallway. 

Adachi, finally alone, let himself release the laughter he had been holding. These idiot women had practically already handed him the crown. Now, all he had to do was inform King Yosuke’s ambassador of the princess' disappearance and the wedding would be off.

* * *

Chie made it to the city in record time. Her horse, Tomoe, looked exhausted by the time they reached Yasogami, but Chie knew that Souji was her only hope at this point. 

She had known immediately that the letter Adachi had found wasn’t written by Yukiko. First of all, Yukiko always used pastel pink stationery that was scented with rose when writing letters. Second, there was no way Yukiko would leave without her.

Okay, maybe the last one was wishful thinking, but Chie couldn’t help it. Yukiko running away to escape her marriage wasn’t too surprising on its own, but doing so without even talking to Chie seemed incredibly unlikely. Something bad must have happened to her.

She gave Tomoe a quick pat before entering the fish shop. A wave of oceanic brine hit her face and she resisted the urge to gag. She had no idea how Souji could stand living here.

“Welcome, madam! What kind of fish are you looking for today?” The man had an oily smile and hollow eyes. He was old and beaten down but a quick glance at his hands told Chie that he hadn’t worked a day of hard labor in his life.

Chie smiled thinly, “I’m actually looking for one of your workers, Souji.”

At his name, the man scowled, “He’s out back by the riverbed. Don’t distract the brat too long.”

Chie found Souji a few minutes later gazing out onto the ocean. His grey eyes looked like storm clouds, steely and tumultuous. Chie recognized that look: she’d seen it on Yukiko’s face nearly every day since she had learned she was to be wed. It was the look of someone determined to face something head on, no matter how much they didn’t want to.

Chie had almost forgotten why she was there, when a little girl (Nanako, she remembered) excitedly shouted, “Big Bro! She’s here!”

Instantly, Souji whipped around so that he was facing her, his dark eyes now light and starry. “I don’t believe it! The princess really sent for me!”

“Oh, actually-”

“Nanako! I’m going to cook at the castle... Me!”

“I came because-”

“God, I’m not ready for royalty to try my food! What if it’s not good? ...Oh, who am I kidding! I’m the best chef in Inaba! They’ll love my cooking for sure!” Souji was so animated that Chie couldn’t bear to stop him. Chie wished more than anything that the reason she was here was that simple.

Souji took a breath from his ranting and finally seemed to take in her pained expression, “Wait... That is why you’re here, right?”

Chie sighed, “I’m really sorry, Souji, but no. The princess is missing and I need your help to find her.”

Nanako looked crushed at the news, but Souji merely tilted his head, “Me? What can I do?”

“Pretend to be Princess Yukiko.”

Souji gasped, “Are you out of your mind?!”

“Just listen,” Chie looked around to make sure that they were alone before continuing. “I think that Adachi, the queen’s advisor, has taken Yukiko away somewhere so that the wedding will be called off.”

“Wait!” Nanako interjected. “I thought Princess Yukiko didn’t want to get married. Wouldn’t the wedding being cancelled be a good thing?”

“Not in this case. I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I know that Adachi is dangerous.”

“How awful...” Souji muttered quietly.

“If you pretend to be the princess, just for a short while, I can trick Adachi into revealing where he's hiding her.”

“Pretend to be royalty? I could get thrown in prison, or worse!”

“As could I, but...”  _ I love her. _

Souji’s eyes softened like he heard her unspoken thoughts. “She’s in real trouble, isn’t she?”

Chie nodded, her face grim. 

Souji thought for a few more moments before asking, “Could Nanako come with me?”

“Sure,” Chie shrugged. “She can stay in my room in the servants quarter of the castle. I’ll tell anyone who asks that she’s a new maid in training.”

Souji nodded, but he seemed a million miles away. “A girl like me...” he muttered softly before turning to look at his little sister. Nanako gave him the sweetest puppy dog eyes that Chie had ever seen, and it wasn’t long before Souji caved. “Alright, I’m in.”

Chie smiled, “Great! Let’s make you a princess.”

* * *

Souji thought that the palace was the most impressive thing he had ever seen, until he saw Princess Yukiko’s room. It was massive, at least double the size of Yasogami, and it was extravagantly lavish. Pink curtains framed large stained glass doors leading to a beautiful balcony overlooking a lush garden. A king sized bed piled high with pillows and blankets sat up against the center of the back wall. Beautiful paintings nestled in golden frames were abundant, each one more lovely than the last. Souji had known that the princess lived luxuriously, but this was beyond his wildest imaginations.

His eyes eventually fell on a large portrait of Princess Yukiko. She was wearing an intricate pink dress and had barely a hint of a smile on her face. The only hint that there was something fiery within her were her eyes, which seemed to glint with mischief.

“You really do look like her,” Chie muttered, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Nanako stared at him thoughtfully for a minute before nodding, “Yeah, if you ignore his hair.”

“And the fact that I’m a man,” Souji said, a small smile on his lips.

“Not to worry! I have a fix for that,” Chie quickly grabbed a box tucked away in the corner of the room. She opened it to reveal a long black wig with bangs that bore a striking resemblance to the princess’ iconic hairstyle.

Souji’s eyes widened, “How did you get this so quickly?”

“I have my ways,” she replied with a wink.

A few minutes later, Souji had been stuffed into a tight corset, a fancy periwinkle dress, and, of course, the wig. He felt stiff, uncomfortable, and like a complete fraud. He cynically wondered how his weak attempt at playing dress up could even come close to Princess Yukiko’s natural beauty. 

But, somehow, when he looked in the mirror, he saw the princess staring back. Souji gently touched his own cheek just to make sure he was still himself. “Woah...”

“You look beautiful, Big Bro!” 

“No kidding,” Chie agreed. “I did a good job with you, if I do say so myself.”

“You really did,” Souji smiled and attempted to twirl. Attempted being the key word, as he promptly tripped and fell flat on his face. 

The girls burst into giggles as they helped him up. Souji knew that they weren’t really making fun of him, but he still couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Even if he looked the part, how could he ever convince anyone that he was royalty?

As if Chie could read his mind, she grinned, “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

For the next several hours, Chie taught Souji everything from how to walk and talk correctly to detailed information regarding foreign affairs. Chie was an excellent teacher; even when Souji did or said something completely stupid, she never scolded him. She simply corrected him with a laugh and continued on. 

Souji’s favorite part was listening to Chie speak about the princess. Her eyes got soft, her lips curled into a gentle smile, and her whole body relaxed. Souji wondered if he would ever find someone who loved him as much as Chie loved Yukiko.

All too soon, the sun began to set and it was time for Souji to make his royal debut. Chie led Nanako to her room, then returned to escort Souji to the grand hall where the queen and King Yosuke’s ambassador were in the middle of a tense conversation. Chie quickly opened the door and yelled, “Queen Mayumi, wait! May I present, Princess Yukiko.”

Souji took a deep breath to steady himself, then began to slowly walk towards the throne where the queen sat. The grand hall was somehow even more luxurious than Yukiko’s bedroom and Souji had to force himself to not get distracted by the sights. He glanced to his left and noticed that a young man standing behind the ambassador was staring at him intently. The man had shaggy light brown hair and warm light brown eyes that glistened with interest. Souji desperately wanted to talk to him, but he knew that there was no way that he could, especially since he was supposed to be the princess.

Souji quickly turned away from the attractive man and quickened his pace until he finally reached the queen. He tripped right at the end, but managed to recover smoothly enough that no one seemed to notice. Queen Mayumi’s eyes watered with tears and she wrapped him in a tight hug, “Yukiko! I’m so glad you’re back. Where have you been?”

“I’m sorry,” Souji said demurely, taking great care to make sure his voice was pitched higher and softer than normal. “I should not have run away.”

Queen Mayumi held him by the shoulders, “Promise me you won’t do it again.”

Before Souji could reply, King Yosuke’s ambassador cleared his throat, “I still think we should cancel the wedding. Clearly-”

Whatever he was about to say next was cut off by a cough from the beautiful brown haired man. Souji looked over at him again and noticed for the first time that a young blonde boy, who was currently trying and failing to hide a cheeky smile, was standing next to him. The brunette and the ambassador seemed to have a heated conversation with their eyes that ended with the ambassador letting out a loud sigh and declaring, “I suppose that an agreement is an agreement. The wedding is back on! King Yosuke will arrive... uh, tomorrow.”

“Wonderful!” Queen Mayumi cried with glee.

Souji, however, felt his blood go cold. “Tomorrow? He’ll be here... tomorrow?”

“Yes!” Queen Mayumi smiled at him, either unaware of or ignoring his panic. “And then, just a few short days until the wedding.”

At this, a thin man in all black that Souji hadn’t even noticed stepped forward from the queen’s side. He had greasy hair and a smile that didn’t reach his cold eyes. 

Souji realized with a jolt that he must be Adachi, the queen’s suspicious advisor. “If you’ll excuse me, I must be off. I have some... arrangements to attend to,” Adachi spoke smoothly. To anyone not looking closely, he seemed completely fine, maybe even happy, but Souji saw something dark in his expression.

Chie stopped him before he could leave the room. “Are you alright, Adachi?” her voice was laced with fake concern.

He sneered at her, “I will be soon.”

As he walked out of the room, a small leaf fell off of his shoe. Chie quickly picked it up, but before she could look at it too closely, the queen waved her over. “Chie, I must apologize. I was cruel to you this morning. Thank you for bringing Yukiko home to me.”

Chie bowed stiffly, “Of course, your majesty.”

“You simply must tell me the full story,” Queen Mayumi implored.

“Uh, alright.”

Souji felt bad for leaving Chie to deal with the queen alone, but he was overwhelmed. He walked as fast as he could back to Yukiko’s room then flopped clumsily onto her bed. He had only had to pretend to be the princess for about ten minutes and it nearly killed him. How did she deal with all of that pressure? Now more than ever, Souji was sure that he and Yukiko were more similar than anyone would ever think.

Souji fell asleep quickly with his newfound respect for Princess Yukiko on the forefront of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments are greatly appreciated!


	5. cats meow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yukiko wakes up in more ways than one and Yosuke see's "Princess Yukiko's" softer side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sorry for the delays but I really had to focus on my finals. Now that they are over, I have a lot more time to write. Expect faster updates from here on out.
> 
> Oh! I also changed my username, but I'm still the same old Rue. Thanks for sticking with me :))

Yukiko woke up slowly, her head pounding. She looked around in a daze, confused as to why she was in a dingy storage room instead of her bedroom, but she quickly remembered what had happened: she had been kidnapped.

She stood up as fast as her weakened body could and immediately began to search for anything she could use as a weapon, but it was useless. The room was nearly empty and the most dangerous thing she could find was a broken broom. Part of her wanted to give up and just submit herself to whatever torture her kidnappers had in mind for her, but she heard Chie’s voice in her head, pushing her to keep going.

_ I’ll get out of here, no matter what. I have to see Chie again. _

She sat back down, took a deep breath, and began to scheme. There were no windows in the small room she was in and the heavy looking wooden door was locked, so the only way out was through her kidnapper. Yukiko knew that she had to trick him into letting his guard down, and it wasn’t long before she came up with a plan.

It was a stupidly reckless plan, but it was the only plan she had. 

Yukiko grabbed both halves of the broken broom from the corner of the room and quickly began to fashion them into a makeshift firestarter, incredibly grateful that Chie insisted on teaching her a variety of survival tips. She rubbed the dry wood together until she saw faint wisps of smoke that slowly but surely grew into flashing embers. 

Before long, she was sitting in front of a small but mighty fire that would eventually consume the entire room and everything in it, herself included. All she could smell was smoke and her face burned from the proximity of the flames, but she had never felt more alive. Something deep inside of her screamed that this was not the end. Yukiko was a phoenix, destined to be reborn from the ashes. So, she took a deep breath and cried out, “Fire! There’s a fire!” 

Her kidnapper was at the door in an instant. “Yuki? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know!” Yukiko willed her voice to shake, which wasn’t too hard as the flames crept closer and closer to her. “The floor suddenly caught on fire!”

“That makes no sense.”

“If you don’t let me out, your whole house will burn!”

The man laughed, just a cold and crazed as she had remembered, “I don’t care. The only thing I care about is you, Yuki.”

“Then, please let me out!”

“And let you escape? Never. You’re mine now, Yuki. Mine. Always and forever,” his words grew more and more frantic until he had dissolved into wild cackling, which was infinitely more terrifying than the fire behind her.

_He's actually insane!_

Yukiko could tell she wasn’t getting through to her captor, so she changed her approach. “I don’t know how the fire started, but I do know that I need help. I need someone to save me. I need  _ you _ .”

Yukiko cringed at having to appeal to this man’s twisted obsession with her, but desperate times call for desperate measures. He stayed silent, so she continued, “If someone doesn’t save me soon, I’ll surely die... But, if I were to be rescued, I’d be so grateful that I’d just have to  _ marry _ that heroic man.”

Her kidnapped inhaled sharply, “...You would stay with me forever? Devote your life to me?”

“Yes! I’d love nothing more!” Yukiko was drenched in sweat and going light headed from the smoke. The man didn’t respond for a long moment, and for the first time since lighting the fire, Yukiko felt like her situation was hopeless. Instead of waiting for the right opportunity, she had doomed herself. She was just as thoughtless, just as hotheaded, just as  _ idiotic _ , as her mother had always made her out to be.

But, right as she had accepted the fact that she was going to die, the door flung open.

A thin man roughly pulled her out of the room and led her through a small cottage until they arrived outside. Even while disoriented, Yukiko tried to soak in every detail of where she was. They were in a forest with small, distinctly scalloped leaves. There were trees all around her, but if she listened closely, she could faintly hear the sound of the ocean. If she was by the ocean, she was likely near the main village of Inaba, which meant she wasn’t that far from the castle.

Yukiko let out a sigh of relief, and her captor clearly thought that it had been directed towards him. He pulled her closer to him so that they were face to face, and Yukiko was finally able to get a good look at him. His eyes were pure black and corpse-like. His thin lips were contorted in a predatory grin. The only thing about his face that she liked was the thin scar on his cheek, clearly made by the ridges of her metal tipped fan. 

“I saved you, Yuki. Now, we’ll be together for-” Yukiko cut him off by thrusting her knee directly into his groin. The man let out a groan of anguish and loosened his grip on her enough for Yukiko to twist out of his arms. She immediately started running towards the sound of crashing waves, leaving the man and his burning cottage behind.

Luckily, it didn’t take long for her to reach the ocean. She found a small fishing dock with a slightly dilapidated shelter and quickly ran inside. It was small and cramped and smelled like old fish and dust, but there was a lock on the door, so it was perfect. Yukiko locked and barricaded the door, then practically collapsed onto the floor, her adrenaline and energy long gone. Her throat burned from inhaling all of that smoke and she could feel tender burns all over her arms and legs. She was hungry and tired and miserable, but, despite everything, found herself laughing.

Maybe she  was naive and impulsive and stupid. Maybe she wasn’t the daughter her mother wanted. Maybe she wasn’t the perfect, demure princess Inaba believed her to be.

But it didn’t matter: she was _herself._

If she could escape her kidnapper, all on her own, she could do anything. She’d find a way to save her kingdom without having to marry a stranger. She’d work hard to make Inaba a better place, to help people like Souji escape indentured servitude. She’d do whatever it took for Chie to stay with her for the rest of their lives.

Though it had nearly cost her everything, for the first time in her life, she felt completely and utterly  _ free _ .

* * *

Yosuke felt a little weird walking around a palace that wasn’t his, but he knew he had to find Princess Yukiko. Teddie had teased him mercilessly about how he reacted when he saw her for the first time, but he didn’t care. Princess Yukiko was the most beautiful person he had ever seen; he couldn’t help staring at her. So, because he wanted them to get off on the right foot, he was going to find her to tell her who he really was. Hopefully, she’d be willing to forgive him for his dishonesty, and if not, at least it would be in private and not in front of Teddie.

The loud laughter of a little girl brought his attention to a nearby door that was only slightly cracked open. Though he felt kind of weird about it, he took a quick peek inside only to see the princess dancing with a little girl. They twirled around the princess’ lavish room, giggling like mad. The scene reminded him of playing with Teddie when he was younger and he was flooded with warm memories.

Yosuke couldn’t help but smile. Princess Yukiko really was a good person. Yosuke couldn’t name any other royal who would be willing to play with a servant girl like that. Though he wanted to join in the fun, or at the very least, begin getting to know the princess, he couldn’t bear to interrupt such a wholesome moment. 

He pulled away and started back to his room. Though he didn’t get the opportunity to explain his situation to Princess Yukiko, he had a feeling she’d understand. Underneath the obvious fact that they were both royalty, they seemed to have a lot in common. If Yosuke had to marry a stranger, he was glad it was someone as wonderful as Yukiko. 

He couldn’t wait to talk to her tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know where Yukiko ends up is a little confusing, but I'll explain more next chapter. Hopefully her escape was still fun to read.
> 
> Also, souyo will finally actually interact next chapter! Nearly the entire chapter is dedicated to them hanging out, being nerds, and falling in love. Stay tune!!
> 
> I'd really appreciate feedback so please consider leaving a comment :))

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments! I'd love your thoughts/feedback :))


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